Doug Doughty

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• Top 50 Virginia high school football prospects

One of the biggest problems with The Roanoke Times’ preseason list of the top football prospects in Virginia is that it seldom came out before the season.

That’s what happens when the high-school season starts Aug. 24, as it did this year.

So, here it is, The Roanoke Times’ first “late-summer” list of the state’s top football prospects.

You can do that when fall doesn’t officially begin until Sept. 23.

At this rate, there eventually might be a “daylight-savings” list of the top football prospects in Virginia.

That might buy me a few more weeks, but it’s not as if everybody is waiting for The Roanoke Times’ list. Once the Roanoke Times was the only publication that rated in-state football prospects. Now, a dozen or more publications or services do it.

Even the following draws from the preseason list that SuperPrep asks me to compile each summer, but we’ll keep our streak intact:

1. E.J. MANUEL, 6-5, 210 QB, VIRGINIA BEACH BAYSIDE (Committed to Florida State).
2. DEION WALKER, 6-3, 185 WR, CHRISTCHURCH (Considering Penn State, Florida State, Southern Cal, Florida, Virginia).
3. VINSTON PAINTER, 6-5, 315 OL, NORFOLK MAURY (Considering Virginia Tech, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Penn State).
4. RYAN WILLIAMS, 5-10, 197 RB, MANASSAS STONEWALL JACKSON (Considering Notre Dame, Virginian Tech, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland).
5. MIKE GLENNON, 6-6, 190 QB, CHANTILLY WESTIFLED (Committed to N.C. State).
6. KYLE LONG, 6-6, 280 OL, CHARLOTTESVILLE ST. ANNE’S-BELFIELD (Committed to Florida State for baseball).
7. MARCUS DOWTIN, 6-2, 215 RB, FORK UNION (Committed to Georgia).
8. DYRELL ROBERTS, 6-2, 190 WR, SMITHFIELD (Committed to Va. Tech).
9. KERRY BOYKINS, 6-1, 200 WR, CHESAPEAKE OSCAR SMITH (Committed to Maryland).
10. BOBBY MASSIE, 6-7, 335 OL, LYNCHBURG LIBERTY CHRISTIAN (Considering Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Clemson, Georgia, UNC).
11. MARCUS DAVIS, 6-4, 226 ATH, VIRGINIA BEACH OCEAN LAKES (Considering Virginia Tech, Florida, Penn State, Tennessee).
12. D.J. COLES, 6-3, 196 WR, GOOCHLAND (Committed to Va. Tech).
13. JIMMY BENNETT, 6-8, 285 OL, ALEXANDRIA WEST POTOMAC (Considering UConn, WVU, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Michigan State).
14. KEVIN WHALEY, 5-9, 170 RB, VIRGINIA BEACH SALEM (Considering Virginia Tech, UVa, Maryland, UConn, Michigan State)
15. JAKE JOHNSON, 6-3, 231 LB, STAFFORD (Committed to Va. Tech).
16. ANTOINE HOPKINS, 6-1, 260 DL, HIGHLAND SPRINGS (Committed to Va. Tech).
17. KLINTON RUFF, 6-4, 298 DL, NORFOLK NORVIEW (Committed to UVa).
18. ALLEN STEPHENS, 6-1, 240 LB, SOUTH BOSTON HALIFAX COUNTY (Committed to Va. Tech).
19. LYNDELL GIBSON, 5-11, 236 LB, VIRGINIA BEACH SALEM (Committed to Va. Tech).
20. TODD HARRELSON, 6-1, 185 WR, CHESAPEAKE OSCAR SMITH (Committed to UNC).
21. DONOVAN MILES, 6-1, 227 LB, STAFFORD BROOKE POINT (Committed to WVU).
22. DERRICK McCOY, 6-3, 205 WR, AMHERST COUNTY (Committed to Va. Tech).
23. XAVIER BOYCE, 6-4, 190 DB, VIRGINIA BEACH LANDSTOWN (Committed to Va. Tech).
24. ISAIAH HAMLETTE, 6-3, 255 DE, STAFFORD BROOKE POINT (Committed to Va. Tech).
25. TONY GREGORY, 6-0, 185 RB, VIRGINIA BEACH FIRST COLONIAL (Committed to Va. Tech).
26. PETER ROSE, 6-1, 190 ATH, AMHERST COUNTY (Committed to Va. Tech).
27. JERON GOUVEIA, 6-2, 185 DB, ASHBURN STONE BRIDGE (Committed to Va. Tech).
28. AUSTIN FULLER, 6-2, 200 WR, RICHLANDS (Committed to Va. Tech).
29. BEN BARBER, 5-10, 195 WR, ALEXANDRIA EDISON (Considering Virginia Tech, UVa, Maryland).
30. MORGAN CARTER, 6-3, 205 ATH, WOODBRIDGE HYLTON (Considering Rutgers, Michigan State, Duke, Temple, UConn)
31. RANDY WHITE, 6-5, 232 TE, BRISTOL VIRGINIA HIGH (Committed to UNC).
32. J.J. DORSEY, 6-1, 185 QB, WINCHESTER HANDLEY (Committed to WVU).
33. ERIC MARTIN, 6-2, 240 TE, WOODBRIDGE HYLTON (Committed to Va. Tech).
34. DEREK JACKSON, 6-2, 206 LB, RICHMOND DEEP RUN (Committed to Purdue).
35. TOMMY REAMON, 6-1, 195 QB, GLOUCESTER (Considering Missouri, Northern Illinois, East Carolina).
36. CASEY TURNER, 6-4, 210 QB, CHESAPEAKE GREAT BRIDGE (Considering Purdue, UNC, Rutgers).
37. DARRYL HAMILTON, 5-8, 170 DB, CLIFTON CENTREVILLE (Considering UVa, UNC, N.C. State).
38. JAMAL WILSON, 5-10, 170 WR, CHESAPEAKE OSCAR SMITH (Considering Maryland, Marshall, Akron, Northern Illinois).
39. REID EVANS, 6-0, 170 DB, HAMPTON PHOEBUS (Considering UVa, Marshall, Maryland, East Carolina, Ohio).
40. JUSTIN THORPE, 6-1, 202 ATH, VARINA (Considering, Duke, Eastern Michigan, Richmond, Liberty).